Suit-case lock cover

ABSTRACT

A suit-case comprising two half shells hinged on each other, one of which carries along its edge a section, such as aluminum having parallel ribs defining grooves.

United States Patent Valaguzza 1 51 Aug. 1, 1972 [54] SUIT-CASE LOCK COVER [56] References Cited [72] Inventor: Dino Valaguzza, Via Palestro 22, UNITED STATES PATENTS Milan, Italy 3,468,274 9/1969 Koffler ..l90/49 [22] 141970 359,201 3/1887 Brown ..190/49 [21] Appl. No.: 63,703

7 Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Assistant Examiner-Stephen Marcus April 9, 1970 Italy ..23092 A/70 Arwmeysteinberg & Blake [52] [1.8. CI. ..190/49, 190/41 R 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl ..A45c 3/00, A45c 13/00 581 Field of Search ..190/49, 50,41 R, 28; A Sim-case comvflsmg two half Shells hmged on each 150/52 R; 70/454, 455, DIG. 56

other, one of which carries along its edge a section, such as aluminum having parallel ribs defining grooves.

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SUIT-CASE LOCK COVER This invention relates to a suit-case lock cover.

The suit-case, as related to by the cover according to the invention, comprises two half shells hinged together, one of which carries along its edge a section, such as aluminum, having parallel ribs defining grooves.

A feature of the lock cover according to the present invention is that fingers or the like are provided on each of the two opposite cover ends, these fingers alternating with recesses so that, on joining the lock cover to the half shell carrying said section, said fingers or the like will insert into said section grooves, while the section ribs in turn will insert into such recesses between the fingers or the like.

A further feature of the present cover, designed to form part of a single central lock, is in that said cover has two plungers, respectively accommodated within two seats provided thereon, under the influence of two corresponding springs these plungers tending to project for some distance from the side wall of the cover facing the other half shell, whereby when the suit-case is closed, said half shell will press said plungers to cause them to re-enter the cover against the action of the associated springs and said plungers will be held under such conditions while the two half shells are kept locked to each other at closed position, and when the half shells are released, under the action of the corresponding springs said plungers will project laterally of the cover, acting upon the other half shell which, therefore, will separate to some extent from the lock carrying half shell.

In order to better show the features of the suit-case central lock cover according to the present invention, an embodiment for the cover according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of the cover;

FIG. 2 shows a detail for one end of the cover, as rotated through 90 with respect to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side and partially sectional view of the cover;

FIG. 4 is a view showing the cover side opposite to that in FIG. I; and

FIG. 5 shows a suit-case, to which said cover and associated lock has been applied.

The suit-case, having the present cover applied thereto, comprises two half shells 1 and 2, respectively, which are hinged to each other on the side L opposite that where the suit-case lock and handle 14 are located.

The suit-case is provided with a single central lock, the cover of which being indicated as a whole at 3.

Along its edge, the suit-case half shell 1 has a section 13, such as aluminum, fast with the half shell.

This section 13 has parallel ribs 6 defining grooves 16.

At each of the two opposite ends, said cover 3 comprises fingers 4 and 4', with recesses 5 provided therebetween.

When assembling said cover 3 on section 13, the fingers 4 and 4' penetrate the grooves 16, as shown in FIG. 5, and in turn ribs 6 penetrate seats 5.

Two plungers 8 are also provided on said cover 3, each of these plungers being threaded into a hole 17 of a wall 18 for said cover.

Each plunger 8 is located at a seat 10, wherein a spring 9 is accommodated and tends to project a plunger length outside of cover 3, as shown in FIG. 4; on meeting the wall 18, an enlarged head 8' of the plunger prevents the latter from completely exiting.

When the suit-case is closed, that is the two half shells l and 2 are moved near each other (or brought to the conditions as shown in FIG. 5), on meeting the projecting lengths of plungers 8, the half shell 2 causes the latter to re-enter the cover 3 compressing the springs 9.

Means are provided (which are independent of the present invention) to retain the suit-case at such closed conditions, that is to clamp the half shells l and 2 at said conditions of FIG. 5.

When, acting upon said means, the operator releases the half shells, the springs 9 will urge the plungers 8 and cause them to project outwardly from some length (the conditions shown in FIG. 4), that is said plungers will act upon the half shell 2 and slightly move it away from the half shell 1.

For example, the release is accomplished by pressing two buttons respectively on the two opposite sides of the suit-case, oneof these buttons being indicated at 15 in FIG. 5 (the other completely similar button is at a similar position on the opposite side not shown in the drawing).

More particularly, by pressing the button 15, the device releasing the half shells is acted upon; on the contrary, when moving the half shells near each other, said device will automatically clamp or lock said half shells to each other.

Finally, said cover 3 comprises two holes 7, through which connecting members pass and are used either for connecting a handle 14 to cover 3, or for attaching said cover 3 to the suit-case; at 12 the hole is shown for introducing the key to open and close the lock, the mechanism of which is accommodated within the cover 3.

What I claim is: 1. A suit-case and lock cover combination comprising two half shells hinged together, one of said half shells carrying along its edge a section having parallel ribs defining grooves, fingers alternating with recesses being provided on each of the two opposite ends of said cover, the lock cover being joined to the half shell carrying said section, with said fingers inserted into the grooves of the section, while in turn the section ribs enter into said recesses between the fingers.

2. The combination according to claim 1, comprising two plungers respectively accomodated within two seats on said cover, under the influence of two corresponding springs said plungers tending to project for a length from a side wall of the cover facing the other half shell, whereby when the suit-case is closed, said half shell presses said plungers to cause them to reenter the cover against the action of the associated springs and said plungers are held under such conditions until the two half shells are kept locked to each other at a closed position, and when the half shells are released, said plungers under the influence of the associated springs will project laterally of the cover, acting upon the other half shell which separates therefore to some extent from the lock carrying half shell.

3. The combination according to claim 1, said lock cover being formed with two holes through which members pass for connecting a handle to the cover and the cover to said one suit-case half shell.

'. i i II i 

1. A suit-case and lock cover combination comprising two half shells hinged together, one of said half shells carrying along its edge a section having parallel ribs defining grooves, fingers alternating with recesses being provided on each of the two opposite ends of said cover, the lock cover being joined to the half shell carrying said section, with said fingers inserted into the grooves of the section, while in turn the section ribs enter into said recesses between the fingers.
 2. The combination according to claim 1, comprising two plungers respectively accomodated within two seats on said cover, under the influence of two corresponding springs said plungers tending to project for a length from a side wall of the cover facing the other half shell, whereby when the suit-case is closed, said half shell presses said plungers to cause them to re-enter the cover against the action of the associated springs and said plungers are held under such conditions until the two half shells are kept locked to each other at a closed position, and when the half shells are released, said plungers under the influence of the associated springs will project laterally of the cover, acting upon the other half shell which separates therefore to some extent from the lock carrying half shell.
 3. The combination according to claim 1, said lock cover being formed with two holes through which members pass for connecting a handle to the cover and the cover to said one suit-case half shell. 